Cao lau lives or dies by the braising liquid, since only a few spoonfuls go into each bowl and it therefore has to be seasoned hard. In return you get chewy noodles and tender pork with a red brown color.
The shallots and garlic are pounded and squeezed for their juice to marinate the pork, while the pulp is saved for frying later. The meat marinates for at least 2 to 3 hours, and overnight is better. Dried cao lau noodles need a 1 to 2 hour soak before blanching.
This batch weighs about 3.6kg, at roughly 117 calories per 100g.
Method
Choose 600g fresh pork collar with firm grain and a light pink color. Cut it with the grain into long blocks so the finished meat can be sliced across the grain.
Pound 4 dried shallots and 4 garlic cloves and squeeze out the juice to marinate the pork, keeping the pulp for frying later.
Marinate the pork with 5g five spice powder, 4 tablespoons soy sauce, 1.5 tablespoons kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, 1 tablespoon annatto oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon seasoning powder, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and the shallot and garlic juice. Mix well and marinate for at least 2 to 3 hours, or overnight in the fridge for deeper flavor.
Heat oil and fry the pork until golden on both sides, then lift it out. Use a little of the same oil to fry the shallot and garlic pulp until fragrant, then return the pork with its marinade.
Pour in broth simmered from 600g pork bones, or cold water, to cover the meat, then adjust with more soy sauce and kOBE Monk Fruit Blend to taste. Bring to a boil, lower to a bare simmer and turn the meat after 10 to 15 minutes so it colors evenly.
After 40 to 50 minutes, ladle off part of the braising liquid to use as the sauce for the bowls. Keep braising the rest until the meat is tender, the sauce is syrupy and the pork is red brown. Cool it, then slice thinly.
Fry the square crackers until puffed and golden. Fresh cao lau noodles only need blanching or resteaming, while dried noodles soak for 1 to 2 hours, then get blanched, drained and tossed with a little oil so they do not stick.
Blanch bean sprouts for the bottom of the bowl, add the cao lau noodles, lay the sliced pork on top and spoon over the braising sauce. Add the fried crackers and serve with lime, Hoi An chili sauce, Thai basil, mustard seedlings and green bird's eye chili.
Tips
Squeezing out shallot and garlic juice for the marinade carries flavor in fast and avoids burning during frying.
The braising sauce needs heavier seasoning than usual, because cao lau noodles are plain on their own.
Cut the pork with the grain for the braise and across the grain when serving, which gives tender, good looking slices.
Marinating the pork overnight in the fridge gives more even color and flavor.
Dried noodles need a 1 to 2 hour soak before blanching, or they stay hard in the middle.
Need kOBE Monk Fruit Blend?
The recipe above is sweetened with kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, measured 1:1 like sugar. See the product page or send us a message.